Slot diffusers with snap-in and plug-in components



ly 1968 E. F. AVERILL 3,390,624

SLOT DIFFUSERS WITH SNAP-IN AND PLUG-IN COMPONENTS Filed Sept. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EUGE/VE F AVER/LL vww gf ,5

July 2, 1968 E. F. AVERILL 3,390,624

SLOT DIFFUSERS WITH SNAP-IN AND PLUG-IN COMPONENTS Filed Sept. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EUGENE E AVER/LL y lwg w United States Patent 3,390,624 SLOT DIFFUSERS WITH SNAP-IN AND PLUG-1N COMPONENTS Eugene F. Averill, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Titus Manufacturing Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Sept. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 580,543 4 Claims. (Cl. 9840) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Slot diffusers with slotted plug-in terminal air supply units and snap-in blank-off members.

This invention in general relates to slot diffusers, which are normally positioned in the ceiling of a room. These diffusers have elongated slots through which air is supplied to the room for purposes of heating or cooling. In addition to supplying air, portions of the slot diffusers may be used as returns for the purpose of exhausting the air from a room or space.

The present invention is concerned with slot diffusers having snap-in or plug-in components for air supply through the slot diffusers and/or for purposes of blanking off inactive sections of the slot diffusers, i.e., sections through which air is neither supplied nor returned.

The chief advantages of the plug-in and snap-in fea tures of the invention reside in their capability of quickly connecting the slot diffusers with the supply and/or return system of the building. Furthermore, the may be added, removed and/or shifted quickly after completion of installation of the air distribution system for purposes of improving the overall balance of air distribution in the room or space involved.

Briefly, the invention comprises a ceiling system in which elongated slot diffusers constitute components, in whole or in part. The slot diffusers also may be used for suspending the panels of the ceiling. The plug-in and/or snap-in components comprise a terminal air distribution chamber adapted to be connected to the air supply duct or ducts by connecting conduit, preferably flexible conduit, and snap-in blank-offs for blanking off the inactive sections of the air distribution system. The terminal air distribution units contain a pattern controller and/or a volume regulator. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the pattern controller and volume regulator are provided by the same member, but the invention contemplates the use of separate components for pattern control and for volume regulation.

The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a segment of the ceiling of a room in which the slot diffusers constitute the support members for the ceiling panels (not shown), and in which the plug-in terminal units are shown in mounted position in three segments of the slot diffusers;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a fragment of a slot diffuser as used in FIG. 1, and shows, in side-by-side relationship, a plug-in terminal unit mounted therein, an H-hanger mounted therein, and a snap-in blank-off mounted therein;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on section plane 3-3 of FIG. 2, and shows the snap-in blank-off and slot diffuser in transverse cross section;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on section plane 44 of FIG. 2 and shows the H-hanger and slot diffuser in transverse cross section;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation, partly in cross section, illustrating the details of the plug-in terminal unit; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plug-in terminal unit.

Referring to the drawings, the ceiling suspension system comprises a plurality of slot diffusers 10 extending in one direction in substantially parallel relationship, and another series of slot diffusers 11 intersecting the slot diffusers 10 and extending substantially at right angles to the slot diffusers 10. If desired, Tbars, i.e. ceiling suspension members in the shape of an inverted T, may be used as part of the ceiling suspension system in lieu of one or more of the slot diffusers 10 and 11.

The slot diffusers 10 and 11 are suspended by wires 12 from the upper part of the room or space to be ventilated by the diffusers of the invention. The diffusers 10 and 11 have outwardly extending, longitudinal flanges 13 on the lower edges thereof, which flanges support the ceiling panel members (not shown) on the upper sides of the flanges. The air for distribution is supplied through one or more supplies, i.e., the air supply duct 14 having tap-off collars 15. The tap-off collars are connected by connecting conduit, preferably flexible conduit 16, to the terminal distribution units 17.

The slot diffusers 10 and 11 comprise elongated, opposing side Walls 18 and 19 having elongated, inwardly directed, longitudinal lips 20 and 21 at the lower edges thereof. As hereinafter described, these lips coact with the air pattern controller 23 for directing the discharge air stream in the desired direction, e.g., substantially laterally horizontally from the slot 22 or vertically downwardly therefrom.

The air pattern controller 23 does not of itself constitute a material aspect of this invention. The air pattern controller illustrated in FIG. 5 corresponds to the air pattern controllers of the type described in Straub and Averill US. Patents Nos. 3,185,068 and 3,185,069, issued May 25, 1965. While the illustrated air pattern controller is preferred for purposes of this invention, other air pattern controllers may be employed, e.g., controllers such as are illustrated in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,183,821, 3,126,811, etc.

The air pattern controller in FIG. 5 comprises an elongated vane support bar 24 mounted by spacer members 25 and 26 about midway between the side walls 35 and 36 of the terminal distribution unit 17. The lower portions of the vane support bar have oppositely disposed, longitudinal grooves 27 and 28 with an arc slightly more than 180. The cylindrical, longitudinal, upper edges 29 and 30 of air pattern control vanes 31 and 32 are snapped into and pivotable in the grooves 27 and 28. The air pattern control vanes 31 and 32 may be of any suitable shape in transverse cross-section, i.e., elongated flat plates, elongated vanes which are curved as viewed in transverse cross-sections, etc. The most desirable shape for the air pattern control vanes is that illustrated in FIG. 5, i.e., vanes having a convex outer surface over which the air may flow with the least turbulence.

Further details regarding the structure and mode of operation of air pattern controller 23 and its coaction with lips 20 and 21 can be found in the aforesaid US. Patents Nos. 3,185,068 and 3,186,069. The vanes 31 and 32 may both be swung into contact with respective side walls 35 and 36 of the terminal unit 17, whereby they may also serve as close off dampers. With certain other types of air pattern controllers, separate close off dampers may be employed where such dampers are desired.

The terminal distribution units 17 comprises S-sided members composed of oppositely disposed, spaced, trapezoidal side walls 35 and 36. One of said side walls has an air inlet collar 37 for attachment for the flexible duct 16 thereto. The other walls of the terminal units comprise the top wall 38 and downwardly sloping end walls 39 and 40, which are attached at their edges to the side walls 35 and 36.

The lower edges of the side walls 35 and 36 may have inwardly directed lips 41 and 42 along their lower edges. It is preferred that these lips be narrower than the lips 20 and 21 so that lips 41 and 42 do not project into the slot 22. However, it is contemplated that the inner edges of the opposing lips 41 and 42 may project into the slot 22, whereby lips 41 and 42 become the active lips which deflect, in coaction with the pattern control vanes .31 and 32, the air stream into the desired discharge pattern.

The terminal units 1.7 are mounted in the channel of the slot diffusers and 11 by a snug fit between the sides of the slot diffuser channel and the lower portion of sides '35 and 36 of the terminal units. No extra attachment, such as screws, bolts, clips or the like, are required, but it is within the contemplation of the invention to use such type of fastening means if desired. The snug fit is provided by a relatively tight fit between the side walls 35 and 36 and the inner edges of flanges 43 and 44 extending longitudinally along the upper edges of side walls 18 and 19.

The slot diffuser may be provided with downwardly facing grooves 45 and 46 at the upper edges of the inner faces of the side walls 18 and 19 and opposing, upwardly facing, longitudinal grooves 47 and 48 at the lower edges of the inner faces of the side walls 18 and 19. The respective, opposing pairs of grooves may be employed in the mounting of abutting ends of sections of the slot diffusers by flat plates (not shown) mounted in said grooves and extending between abutting ends, and also for mounting the side legs 49 and 50 of an H-hanger 51 therein in the manner shown in FIG. 4. The H-hanger is used to suspend the slot diffusers 10 and 11 from the main ceiling or other structural members in the building.

In addition to the side legs 49 and 50, the H-hanger 51 comprises a cross leg 52 having at its mid-portion an upwardly extending vertical bar 53. The bar 53 has a hole 54 for attachment of wires 12 or rods, or other suspension members to the H-hangers. The H-hangers may also be used in a manner similar to the aforedescribed flat plates for the mounting of abutting ends of sections of the slot diffusers 10 and 11.

The terminal units 17 are mounted in the channel of the slot diffusers 10 and 11 at positions wherein air is to be discharged from the air distribution system into the room. Other portions of the slot diffusers 10 and 11 may be used as return portions, i.e., for the return of air from the room for exhaust or recirculation through the air distribution system. The return may be the plenum chamber above the suspended ceiling, or it may be connected by terminal units such as the unit 17 (with or without pattern controller 23) or other suitable members, which are, in turn, connected to a return duct or ducts.

Certain sections of the slot diffusers 10 and 11 in the air distribution system of the invention are usually inactive, i.e., sections which are used neither for supply nor return of air. It is preferred that the inactive sections be blanked off, i.e., blocked against flow of air through the inactive sections. For this purpose the snap-in blank-off illustrated in FIG. 3 is used to blank-off the inactive sections. The snap-in blank-off comprises a thin wall metal strip bent into a top wall 61 and springable, V-shaped side walls 62 and 63. The latter can be flexed sufficiently to snap-in or insert the blank-off 60 at the desired places. When inserted, the apices 64 and 65 of the V-shaped side walls 62 and 63 spring outwardly against the inner faces of the side walls 18 and 19 of the diffuser air flow channel, thereby blocking air flow through the inactive sections of the slot diffuser.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the slot diffuser of the invention may have additional grooves along the upper and lower edges of the side walls 18 and 19. As illustrated, these grooves may comprise the downwardly facing grooves 70 and 71 extending longitudinally along the upper edges of the outer faces of the side walls 18 and 19, and upwardly facing, respectively opposing, longitudinal grooves 72 and 73 extending along the lower edges of the outer faces of side walls 18 and 19. The respective pairs of opposing grooves are adapted to receive fiat plates for securing together abutting ends of the slot diffusers, as aforedescribed, and are also used in the attachment of sections of the diffusers 10 and 11 at the right angle junctions thereof. As shown in FIG. 5, the ends of two sections of slot diffusers 11 are attached to the slot diffuser 10 by L-shaped junction clips 75 having one leg 74 mounted in respective, opposing pairs of elongated slots 70, '72 and '71, '73. The other leg 76 of the L-shaped junction clip is mounted in the same respective pairs of slots in the slot diffusers 11.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

I claim:

1. An elongated slot diffuser comprising oppositely disposed, horizontally spaced, elongated, side walls and an elongated bottom wall with an elongated slot therein, a hollow plug-in, terminal unit having an elongated slot in the bottom thereof, the lower portion of said unit being seated in the space between said side walls, said terminal unit having an opening in the upstream portion for admitting air into said terminal unit, adjustable, air pattern control means in said terminal unit for controlling the direction of discharge of air flowing out the bottom of said unit and through said slot, and at least one elongated, snap-in blank-off member removably seated in an inactive portion of said slot diffuser and blocking off circulation of air through said inactive portion, said blank-off member having elongated, resiliently springable side walls in contact with the inner faces of the side walls of said slot diffuser.

2. A slot diffuser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said terminal unit comprises substantially regular trapezoidal side walls, and a top wall between the upper edges of said side walls, and. end walls flaring outwardly and downwardly from said top wall to the bottom of said terminal unit.

'3. A slot diffuser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said side walls of said blank-off member are V-shaped walls with the apices thereof in contact with said inner faces.

4. An elongated slot diffuser comprising oppositely disposed, horizontally spaced, elongated, side walls and an elongated bottom wall with an elongated slot therein, means for supplying air to an active portion of said slot diffuser for discharge through the slot thereof, and at least one elongated, snap-in blank-off member removably seated in an inactive portion of said slot diffuser and blocking off circulation of air through said inactive portion, said blank-off member having elongated, resiliently springable side walls in contact with the inner faces of the side walls of said slot diffuser.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,185,069 5/1965 Straub et a1. 98-4O 3,232,205 2/1966 Bumstead 98l 14 X 3,250,205 S/l966 Lambert 98-40 3,260,188 7/1966 Person 9840 3,313,227 4/1967 Raider 9840 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

